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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28158681">Promise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BehindBrokenWindows/pseuds/BehindBrokenWindows'>BehindBrokenWindows</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Found Family, I needed hope after the s2 finale so i wrote this, Introspection, grogu's story, i guess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:02:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,264</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28158681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BehindBrokenWindows/pseuds/BehindBrokenWindows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A short snippet from Grogu's perspective, as consolation for the end of season 2.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin &amp; Grogu | Baby Yoda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>127</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Promise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He’d been in so much pain for so long. Pain in his body and in his mind that never seemed to end. He didn’t understand what they were doing to him or why, and after a while he’d simply… retreated. Let himself fade, like he was hiding in his own mind, a more sinister form of hide-and-seek that was never-ending. Then things had changed when the metal-man had come back for him. He’d been so frightened, so very frightened at the thought of having to return to the place of pain, more so than he was at going with the metal-man, though he did not know him, and didn’t understand his intentions.</p><p>He wasn’t sure the man knew, either. He felt conflicted and unsure, until someone told him what to do. When he had a goal, he was tenacious and stubborn, but Grogu’s hope had dimmed. His people? He had no people. It was only him, all alone, as it had been for as long as he was willing to remember.</p><p>The metal-man didn’t talk to him much, except when he berated him for something, but Grogu felt him worry, and soon care seemed to grow from that worry like sunshine peeking from behind the clouds. Grogu basked in the feeling when the man projected it, and felt it grow in himself.</p><p>He started talking more, when it was just the two of them. Those were Grogu’s favorite times, when it was just the two of them in the ship between the fighting. For the first time, in a long time, he felt safe. He was taken care of, even held, and Mandalorian always told him what they were doing and where they were going, and why. Grogu knew their mission to be a hopeless one, but that did not frighten him or make him sad. He had already been alone for so long, and now he was not anymore. He was <em>safe</em>, Mandalorian kept him <em>safe</em>, and that was all that mattered.</p><p>Things were going so well until the pretend-Mandalorians came and told Mandalorian to go to Corvus, where he would find someone of Grogu’s kind. Grogu had thought that Mandalorian would stop searching when he didn’t find anyone, and nothing would change. Mandalorian would take care of him, and Grogu would be safe. He had come out of hiding, he had dared to be, and he didn’t want anyone else to take that away from him, if he could just stay with Mandalorian forever, everything would be fine.</p><p>As they neared Corvus Mandalorian grew silent and solemn, and even before they met the Jedi the emotion of loss seemed to haunt him. Grogu could feel it, shared it. They didn’t need anyone else, they were good together, they <em>belonged</em> together, Mandalorian felt so too. Like kinship, like love.</p><p><em>Don’t leave me</em>, he thought, and clung to Mandalorian’s hand, or his cape. Anything he could reach.</p><p>The Jedi – though she was not a Jedi, Grogu didn’t quite understand – was not what he had expected. She was kind and understanding, and they could share things that Grogu hadn’t remembered in a long while. She knew – she <em>knew</em>. And she told Mandalorian his name.</p><p>“Grogu,” he said, and Grogu felt like he would burst. It amused Ahsoka, and she smiled, but her amusement was tinged with sadness that Grogu didn’t understand.</p><p>They made a deal, and Grogu knew that Ahsoka was hesitant. She felt his reluctance, and she tried to explain to him why she was not the one that should train him, and Grogu thought he understood – a bit.</p><p>Mandalorian argued when she said she wouldn’t train him, but Grogu felt his relief like his own. They would stay together, Mandalorian would take care of him, hold him and love him, and Grogu would try to be better, to not be so afraid, to not let his fear become anger, become dark.</p><p>Then he was set on the stone, and suddenly he was everywhere, seeing everything, feeling everything. And someone answered his call. Grogu could feel him, feel his excitement and his hope.</p><p><em>Stay safe, I will come for you</em>. Warmth, Grogu felt warmth and compassion and reassurance – then he was taken again, away from the safe, away from Mandalorian and the fear became overwhelming, consuming him.</p><p>He felt dark, he felt not himself as he was held in the cell, as they ruined him, cut him off with those horrible shackles until he could sense nothing.</p><p>Mandalorian would come for him. He had before – but what if he didn’t? Grogu was so afraid. They were doing things to him again, things he didn’t want, things that scared him, and things that hurt. And more and more he began to feel dark, angry. He should fight back. Mandalorian had shown him the way, he should fight back. But it made him so, so tired, and he just wanted to sleep, to hide away again, like he had before, but he couldn’t forget – couldn’t forget the man who had held him, cared for him. He couldn’t let go of the hope.</p><p>And he was rewarded. He came, Mandalorian came back, and he defeated the bad man, chained him up and made sure he couldn’t escape. Grogu stretched his arms out, shaking, as Mandalorian ran back into the cell, kneeling before him, breathing loudly, and held him.</p><p>“Come on, kid,” he said, “we have to get back to the others.”</p><p>Grogu felt it when the Jedi came, even before the others saw his ship. He was strong and powerful, he knew things Mandalorian didn’t, he could teach Grogu to become strong, too. Grogu was conflicted. Why couldn’t he have both? Why couldn’t Mandalorian come with him? Didn’t he love him? Shouldn’t he come and take care of him? He wanted to, Grogu was almost sure he wanted to.</p><p><em>Hope</em>, Grogu felt when the man came. Hope for a future, hope to <em>become</em>. It had been so long since Grogu saw a future for himself. With this man, he could. With Mandalorian… he didn’t want to leave, he didn’t know if he could, but Ahsoka had said Grogu could be dangerous. Perhaps it was worse if he wasn’t trained? This man could train him well, Grogu could feel his justness, the peace that surrounded him even when he fought his way through the ship. Powerful, and just. That is what Grogu could become.</p><p><em>It doesn’t have to be forever</em>, Luke told him, and he looked kind.</p><p>“He doesn’t want to go with you,” Mandalorian said.</p><p>“He wants your permission,” Luke replied, and Grogu knew he was right. He didn’t know if he could bear Mandalorian’s disappointment, but when he took his helmet off, he knew he could bear anything.</p><p>“I’ll see you again, I promise.” Grogu felt his promise, he <em>was</em> going to see him again, and then Grogu would be strong, trained, he would know what to do with all this power Luke said he had. He knew it, and he knew that Luke could help him, help him with his fear and his anger.</p><p>He looked at Mandalorian’s face for the first time, touched his skin. <em>Home</em>. He promised them that he would <em>come home again</em>, he promised. But he had to do this, he had to learn, like Mandalorian had learned when he was little.</p><p>He said goodbye, for now, afraid and feeling a little lost, but sure. They would see each other again, and Grogu would tell him that he loved him, and he would protect him. Then, they could stay together forever.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This just... refused to not be written, so I guess I might as well publish it - not very interesting or eventful, perhaps, but I wanted to explore Grogu a bit, and come with my own headanons for him, what he's been going through, and what led him to go with Luke at the end.</p><p>Please tell me what you think, feedback is always helpful, and kudos/comments make me happy &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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